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In combat sports, the greatest champions have always defined themselves through trilogies against other great champions. Muhammad Ali fought timeless trilogies against Joe Frazier and Ken Norton, Georges St. Pierre battled 3 times against Matt Hughes, and Fedor Emelianenko battled the great Antonio "Minotauro" Nogueira in the Pride ring. Even lower level fighters can elevate themselves to legendary status through a great trilogy — Gatti vs. Ward is a prime example.

While the record may show that Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez both possess one win against the other, the record doesn't tell the full story. In their first encounter in November 2011, Junior Dos Santos blitzed the current heavyweight kingpin at 1:04 of the first round — on the first ever card televised live on Fox — to take the heavyweight strap from the newly minted champ. In their second encounter, then challenger and current champion Velasquez was able to stagger Dos Santos in the first round and proceed to dish out a sustained beating over 5 rounds, handing the Brazilian champion his first UFC loss.

What was once a sport consigned to feature only on the fringe of sports programming has now evolved into a phenomenon that's captivating millions. The Cinderella story of MMA Fighting is no different than the stories its characters share. We've seen the sport grow. Watched its characters evolve. We've roared with joy when they were triumphant over their competitors, and felt each blow as they were defeated. And in the past 10 years, we've witnessed some amazing moments and sensational fights.

And throughout it all, some characters have made the MMA story much more enjoyable. These fighters have earned their place in the history books but still continue to fight for their story. These are the top 5 deadliest fighters still in the game.

Anderson Silva

Since entering the MMA World over a decade ago, in 1997, no one can doubt Silva's position in this top 5. His impressive record of 33-4-0 says it all, having only ever lost 4 fights. Silva wasn't blessed with an amazing fighting education filled with college and daily classes. He had to learn by practicing with neighborhood kids that could afford to take Jiu-Jitsu classes. Regardless, this unconventional training didn't halt his growth. Even UFC President Dana White has called him the "greatest mixed martial artist ever." Silva holds the longest winning and title defense streak in UFC history, as well as having been Middleweight Champion for both Cage Rage and UFC. And when you're already the champion for 10 consecutive seasons, there aren't many new accomplishments to gain.

Two weeks ago we saw the long awaited battle between George St. Pierre and Nick Diaz. And now that the event is over, what is up next for these two fighters who are still very much in their prime?

George St. Pierre

George St. Pierre is, by most standards, is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world (sans Anderson Silva). After beating Nick Diaz so convincingly (albeit a little boringly), the logical next step is to take on the number 1 contender in the weight class, Johny Hendricks. Hendricks, the most explosive yet underrated fighter in the Welterweight division, has been waiting all too long for the title shot. By beating Carlos Condit in a unanimous decision, Hendricks has shown that he deserves the shot more than anyone. But aside from defending his title, most people will want to see a fight between George St. Pierre and Anderson "The Spider" Silva, before they both get too old. But getting the two to fight is going to be hard.

Hello! After a couple weeks off (other than the special Thursday edition), we are back with another edition of "What people are talking about this week." This week we feature Lance Armstrong's major decision, LL Cool J's act of self defense, and one UFC fighter's controversial decision.

Lance Armstrong ends fight against illegal doping, may have titles pulled and be banned from cycling

Yesterday Lance Armstrong announced that he was ending his fight against charges of illegal doping by the US Anti-doping agency. He may face a lifetime ban from professional cycling and the loss of his seven Tour de France titles. Armstrong allegedly used performance-enhancing steroids as far back as his first win in 1999. However, Armstrong has consistently denied the charges, and says the International Cycling Union has jurisdiction in these matters, not the USADA. There does seem to be a political element to this case, one way or another, so it's well worth reading the linked article to get all sides of the story.

Jon Jones withdraws from UFC 151, promoting the event's cancellation

What do you do when your opponent has to withdraw from the UFC event you're headlining due to injuries? Withdraw your participation as well because you don't have enough time to prepare for the substitute, apparently. That is the argument that light heavyweight Jon Jones is making this week after his opponent, Dan Henderson, pulled out due to a knee injury. Though Jones was due to fight a substitute, Chael Sonnen, instead, the fighter maintained that the few days he had to prepare for the fight wasn't enough. The decision has been controversial, with supporters agreeing with Jones' argument, while critics suggest that he should be able to fight whomever is placed in front of him.

LL Cool J takes down burglar, detains him until police arrive

File this one in your "Don't burglarize a home unless you want to end up in pain" file. That's what happened to one Jonathan Kirby, 56, who allegedly broke into LL Cool J's home earlier this week. Kirby ended up with a broken nose and jaw, and in the rapper and actor's custody until police could arrive.

August brings with it both National S'mores Day (August 10) and Toasted Marshmallow Day (August 30). Why aren't those both on the same day? I digress...here are the top live events coming up in August:

Concerts

Madonna: The Material Girl is continuing her epic world tour this fall, kicking off the North American leg in Philadelphia, PA, on August 28. Dates continue through November 20 in Miami, at which point she will take on South America.

Festivals: The festival season is in high gear in August, with Lollapalooza taking place Aug. 3-5; Warped Tour and Mayhem Festivals running until Aug. 5; Fresh Music Festival continuing through Aug. 11; Peach Music Festival playing Aug. 10-12; and Electric Zoo Festival on stage Aug. 31-Sept. 2.

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